The first raft of changes being brought in under the Renters’ Rights Act will be introduced on 1st May. NRLA chief executive Ben Beadle explains what happens next – and why the Government needs to publish essential tenancy documents as a matter of urgency.
The countdown has begun.
With 1st May tonight confirmed as the commencement date for the new Renters’ Rights Act, the clock is ticking.
Key documentation is still missing from the Government ‘roadmap’ and – with the Act bringing the biggest changes in almost 40 years – we are arguing the proposals are doomed to failure without the publication of guidance and written material vital for these changes to happen.
You can read my full reaction to the announcement here, but in the meantime, let’s look at what’s changing and when.
What will change on 1st May?
First, we need to be clear on exactly what will happen on commencement date, as not all the provisions of the Act will come in at once.
In short, the provisions of the Act coming in on 1st May include:
- The loss of section 21, the so called ‘no-fault’ eviction.
- The loss of the fixed term, with most tenancies becoming periodic by default.
- Restrictions on rent in advance.
It will also become illegal for landlords to:
- increase rents more than once a year
- encourage rental bidding wars
- discriminate against potential tenants, because they receive benefits or have children.
There will also be new penalties for getting things wrong.
Fines for breaches will range from £7,000 up to £40,000 for serious or serial offenders, with your local council responsible for enforcement.
What do I need to do?
If you have tenants in your properties, you will need to provide them with an information leaflet outlining the new rules within the first month of the commencement date.
However – and I can’t stress this enough – they will not need to sign new tenancy agreements.
Any new tenancies that you enter into from 1st May will require a periodic assured tenancy agreement.
We are now waiting for the Government to confirm what information must be included in both of these documents.
Section 21 repossessions
The Act will remove the Section 21 process and replace it with a series of grounds under which you can repossess your properties. I won’t go into the full list now, but you can access it here.
As it stands, you can still issue a section 21 notice before the 1st May deadline.
However, you must apply to the court for possession proceedings on or before 31 July (2026) or the notice will be invalid.
After that you will no longer be able to serve a section 21 and will need to use the section 8 grounds-based process, so, if this is something you need to do, time is of the essence.
Rent increases
Similarly, it’s a good idea to review rent levels across your portfolio, to make sure they will cover the cost of the additional risk of turnover of tenancies with the introduction of the new periodic regime.
Your essential checklist
There are also a number of things you can do right now to get ahead of the curve.
We are advising you to:
- Review your portfolio.
- Update your processes around tenant referencing, advertising, and logging complaints/issues.
- If you use an agent to let or manage your property, check that they are ready for the changes.
- Consider training on the details of the Act to help you prepare.
Is six months long enough to get ready?
In my meetings with housing secretary Steve Reed and housing minister Matthew Pennycook I stressed the need for a minimum six-month lead-in time from the publication of the secondary legislation needed for the new documents, and other aspects of the Act, to allow landlords and agents time to prepare.
Six months in total does not cut it.
The success of this timeframe now rests on whether the Government publishes the secondary legislation needed to produce the new tenancy documents in a timely manner.
What needs to happen now?
That’s the burning question. The ball is now firmly in the Government’s court when it comes to how plans progress.
Our team at the NRLA is poised and ready to create these documents for you to download – but we have to know what needs to be included before we can start writing them.
We have warned the Government that, without this, the sector could be plunged into chaos.
We also have serious concerns about the ability of the county court to process the inevitable increase in possession cases.
With waiting times already more than six months we need more than vague promises about digitisation – and are pressing ministers for a firm plan.
What about the other parts of the Act?
The remaining provisions of the Act will be introduced in two phases.
Phase two, which we have been told will be introduced in ‘late 2026’ will bring in:
- A Private Landlord Ombudsman – an independent service aiming to resolve landlord and tenant disputes without the need to go to court.
- A Private Rented Sector Database – with a requirement that all landlords and properties need to be registered. This will be rolled out in two stages, with deadlines staggered throughout the later part of 2026.
Phase three of the plans will take longer as its provisions require public consultations. These include:
- A new Decent Homes Standard for the private rented sector (PRS) – including a revised Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HSSRS) to assess risks in properties.
- The extension of Awaab’s Law to the PRS – introducing strict requirements on timescales for dealing with hazards such as damp and mould.
No timescales have been given for these changes, so keep an eye on our news site and social media channels for updates as we get them.
While the legislation primary affects the PRS in England, some elements will also apply in Wales, something you can read more about here.
How we can help you
This is a huge piece of legislation which will have a major impact on the way we all do business, and we have a comprehensive suite of tools to help you navigate the changes up ahead.
- Once secondary legislation has been confirmed, we will have new tenancy templates for you to download, along with a suite of new supporting documents.
- We also offer a range of affordable training options. Thousands of you have already taken the training with new dates added to meet demand.
- With compliance taking centre stage there is no better time to take advantage of our compliance arm Safe2 and property management platform Portfolio. Safe2 can organise inspection repairs and safety certificates at the click of a button. Portfolio, which can be accessed via your NRLA account, includes a secure space store all your certificates and documentation, vital when it comes to meeting your new obligations.
Today marks yet another milestone as we transition to the new regulatory landscape. While it could be a rocky road, rest assured that we will be with you every step of the way with a package of tailored support to guide you through the months and years ahead.
